This hearty and delicious loaded potato soup recipe is perfect for a cozy night in. With simple ingredients and easy instructions, anyone can make this comforting dish in no time. This soup is full of tender chunks of potatoes, sweet onions, crisp bacon, and chopped chives, all in a creamy, cheesy broth with a little sour cream.
The Best Loaded Potato Soup
Warm up on a chilly night with this delicious one-pot loaded potato soup recipe. It’s easy to make and packed with comforting flavors like bacon, cheese, and herbs. I love to serve this creamy soup with cheddar biscuits or buttermilk biscuits. It is a favorite in our house and a frequent request from my son. This is comfort food at its best.
We are a soup-loving family. I don’t need any excuse for having soup three times a week. If you like this recipe, try sweet potato soup, chicken potato soup, creamy ham and potato soup, and potato leek soup.
How to Make Loaded Potato Soup
Start by browning your chopped bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan, using a slotted spoon reserving the grease. Add enough butter to the bacon grease to make a couple of tablespoons of fat. Melt the butter over medium heat. Next, add the potatoes and the onions to the pan, cooking for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Now add the garlic and the cayenne pepper. Then cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly. Then, using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes, onions, and garlic and place them in a bowl or plate.
Now melt enough butter to make about 4 tablespoons of fat. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour in and whisk to combine. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the chicken broth and milk in several intervals, alternating between the two. Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic back to the pot and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. Next, whisk in both shredded cheeses until melted. Finally, stir in the bacon, sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
Beth’s Recipe Tips
- Bacon is much easier to chop when partially frozen, so toss it in the freezer about an hour before preparing the soup.
- The best potatoes for this soup are Russets. I always say don’t use Russet Potatoes in soup because they will start to break down. Well, there is an exception to every rule, and in this particular case, you want the potatoes to break down slightly into the soup, creating an ultra-creamy texture.
- Don’t add the bacon and sour cream until the end, as you want the bacon to stay crispy and the sour Cream not to curdle.
- Top with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped chives.
How do you thicken loaded potato soup?
There are several ways to thicken potato soup. You can combine several of these methods. But keep in mind the result for the type of soup you are making and the consistency you are trying to achieve. For instance, I use Russet Potatoes in this soup so that the potatoes break down a little, adding to the thickness of the soup. But in my Creamy Ham and Potato Soup, I use a roux with red potatoes so they do not break down as much. I want the potatoes to maintain their shape and the other ingredients in the recipe to shine through, like the ham, carrots, and celery.
- Use Russet Potatoes – If the dominant flavor is potatoes, then you may want to consider using these potatoes as they will break down some and help thicken the soup.
- Roux – An equal mixture of fat and flour is cooked over medium-low heat for several minutes. Then, it is whisked into the soup to thicken it. See here for more about making a roux.
- Slurry – A small amount of cornstarch or flour is combined with a small amount of broth or water and whisked into the soup.
- Heavy Cream: Add heavy whipping cream for a thicker, more luscious soup. Add it at the end so it does not curdle.
- Immersion Blender – This is a great kitchen gadget for those who love soup. You can use the blender right in the hot pot of soup and blend as much or as little as you want. A stand blender works, too, but remember to remove the center cap on the top to let heat escape.
Storage
Store leftovers (if there are any) in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
What Goes With Loaded Potato Soup?
- garden salad with a light vinaigrette
- homemade cornbread
- pigs in blankets
- grilled cheese
- marinated cucumbers and red onions
- ham and cheese sliders
- breadsticks
- beer bread
- soft pretzels
- chicken bacon ranch quesadilla
More Soup Recipes
Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 1/4 cup butter unsalted
- 4 large Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups whole milk or 2% milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat, brown the bacon. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the pan reserving the grease. Add enough butter to make 2 tablespoons of fat. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes and onions to the pan cooking for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and the cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Using a slotted spoon remove the potatoes, onions, and garlic to a bowl or plate, reserving any fat in the pan.
- Melt enough butter to make 4 tablespoons of fat. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup flour and whisk to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the chicken broth and milk in several intervals alternating between the two.
- Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic back to the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Whisk in both shredded cheeses until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon, sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Bacon is much easier to chop when partially frozen, so toss it in the freezer about an hour before you start preparing the soup.
- The best potatoes for this soup are Russets. I always say don’t use Russet Potatoes in soup because they will start to break down. Well, there is an exception to every rule, and in this particular case, you want the potatoes to break down slightly into the soup, creating an ultra-creamy texture.
- Don’t add the bacon and sour cream until the end, as you want the bacon to stay crispy and the sour cream not to curdle.
- Store leftovers (if there are any) in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
- Top with chopped crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped chives.
Nutrition
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Rob A
I love this soup. It has become a favorite of mine since you first posted it. I think I have made it at least twenty times. I have shared it with my friends and family over the years and they love it too!
Beth Pierce
I am so happy that they like it!
Catherine Kay
I love creamy soups. This one wss great! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie Larson
My family loves sitting down to a bowl of this loaded potato soup. A perfectly creamy & cheesy base and I love the addition of bacon.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Stephanie! We love it too!
Alicia
I added some instant mashed potatoes to my soup to thicken it up and it worked perfect without having to add anything else extra (or more dishes lol) to the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Alicia!
Meg
This is easily one of our favorite new recipes. I have found if I use 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 1/2 cups milk, it really enhances thr creamy factor. I also add a bit of mexican chicken bouillon powder in with the cayenne and WOW!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Meg! So glad that you liked the potato soup.